Hello, 2009!!

So, in 2008 God had us pack up everything, leave our friends and family, and relocate to the other coast- some 3,000 miles away...
I can only wonder what He'll do in 2009!
But, I can say this: if I learned ANYTHING last year, it was that my God is bigger than a U-Haul, 3 months of living long distance from my husband, loosing 1,000 sq. feet, squeezing all my earthly belongings into a 9'x9'x16' POD, saying good-bye to life-as-I-knew-it, not seeing my mom for months on end, trading in a 10-drawer kitchen for a 3-drawer kitchen, pulling my kids away from their grandparents, and leaving the job (and closest friends) I'd known for years.
My family has learned so many lessons and is, undoubtedly, closer to each other and our Lord than we've ever been!
Thank you, Jesus, for 2008 and the glory it brought to You! Bring on 2009-- and where ever you are taking us from here!!

Happy Birthday Jesus

The kids are playing with the Nativity Scene from the What God Wants for Christmas story... we were trying to take some Christmas pictures...

Below, can you tell we were more than hyped up on Christmas Cookies-- Santa's coming to town! After donning our Christmas pjs, the kids selected the cookies to leave for Santa, poured him a glass of milk, and sprinkled the Reindeer Food in the backyard...


We celebrated the birthday of Chirst in style. Christmas Eve we spent a few hours (hours for me... minutes for them...) in the kitchen baking some cookies, frosting, and then decorating them. We had planned on also making Jesus a birthday cake, but the cookies were as far as we got.



We cleaned up, packaged our goodies, and headed off to church for our Christmas Eve Service where the kids sang a few songs.Will and Em shared their cookies with everyone. Scott led a great Christmas acoustic set, and we praised God for the greatest gift ever.




After the service, we had an "intimate" dinner with 20+ of our good friends from church (and a restaurant full of stangers) at Wonderful Chinese where we sand Fra-ra-ra-ra-ra...ra-ra-ra-ra..
Back at home we read the Christmas Story and exchanged a couple presents. Will gave Em a Sleeping Beauty Doll, complete with the bed and pillow. She had bought him a Walle toy. They also opened their Christmas pjs.
Photography by Will...

Christmas morning brought more fun; Santa was generous this year. We also saved all our gifts that had been shipped to us- fun stuff from Aunt Debbie, Nana and Papa,
Aunt Brenda, The Bassetts, The Lees. Em was a bit confused as to why Santa left her a kitchen set...especially since it was not Princess... and she had only asked for Princess things... Will loved it all, and with each present he opened he told us that he'd "always wanted this... it is so cool," no matter if it was a car or a pair of underware.
After opening gifts, we ate some Christmas breakfast (traditional cinnamon rolls, sausage cheese balls, and grapefruit), watched our Christmas movies (Home Alone, The First Noel, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations...), and had a quiet (except for a couple brother-sister disagreements) day and acutally got some rest!





Even though we didn't get to spend the day with our families, we spend a lot of the day on the phone, and we never got out of our pjs! A quiet Christmas wasn't so bad after all! All we needed was a little snow!!

Merry Christmas 2008!!!

The Things Will Says

Will told me the other day, as he walked out the front door, that he needed to "go get some exercise". He very matter-of-factly stated that his heart need to be "beeping" for him to be alive....

Will assisted Scott with the Pulse (the announcements, pre-recorded-video-style) for church Sunday. Will's particular job was to let the congregation know about the Christmas Eve service. Scott let Will know the details that he'd need to communicate, like the time and the fact that we'd be having communion and candling lighting. Will responded, "So, we'll be lighting the kanorah [translation: menorah]..."
(Big thanks to public school and Handy Manny on Disney for the education on all the different holidays. That took a bit of explaining...)

Em is into Alice in Wonderland lately. Will walked into the room, stopped, looked at the TV screen, and said, "Boy, that's a curious place." Then he turned around and left the room.

And then there are the big questions...
"How big is God? What does God look like? Can I write God a note? How can Jesus be God's son?"

A Roseville Christmas

BCR was in the Roseville Christmas, I mean Holiday, Parade. Here are a few fun pics from that day... Merry Christmas from all of us!

The CA Ivey's shout "Candy!" That's what the back of the truck is LOADED down with!

It's Nick- the Road-Blocker-Hurderling Elf. He's on Santa's track team.
The BCR staff: Heather, The Grinch, and Scott. Where's Leonard?

Rudolph, Will, Em, and a pick-up truck.

Thankful

Things I'm thankful for:

- DVR- how else could I watch TV- I mean, can you say FASTFORWARD commercials..

- warm sheets right out of the dryer

- healthy, happy, self-entertaining, funny to watch and funnier to play with kids

- good books, like Ruth or James or Ecclesiastes, or anything by Francine Rivers, or this new book I'm readying Girl Meets God

- The Disney Channel, Hot Wheels, and American Girl

- Scott. EVERYTHING about him. Even the way he exaggerates.

- a job, even though I gripe from time to time about it, I have a great job with great people.

- food. specifically chocolate food.

- my Central Perk team

- my family. I love my parents and little brother and sisters and brothers-in-laws and in-laws, and nephews and nieces and grandmother and aunts and uncles and cousins...

- shoes. No matter how big I get, those are the things that always fit.

- friends. who else invites you over for thanksgiving when you're 3,000 miles from home, entertains you while you're in line at Toys R Us for an hour and a half, leaves you funny texts, makes you laugh, helps you remember, and knows how to comfort you before you even finish your story?

- Campfires and scarves

- little brushes to clean under your fingernails

- lip gloss

- a God who loves me; who knows my past, present, and future and died for me despite it all.

A Moment to Myself

Well, lately when I've had a moment to myself, I've slept. Part of that is my thyroid out of whack that makes me so tired, but the other is the fact that I just went back to full time teaching. While I was at the beach, I got a phone call from a principal looking for an 8th grade English teacher. I interviewed three days later and started working the week after that! I've never started teaching in November, always August. I think I prefer starting from the beginning! There is so much to learn while the kids are trying to take advantage of you: how to take attendance, the grading system, where the bathroom is, how to work the copier, curriculum & where the kids are in it, and there is the 128 names of my students! The classes are huge- all over 30 kids. I've never had this many at one time. And right now, they're all testing me a little to see if I know what's going on or not... lots of personalities.

My kids are fine with this, so far. Will is just excited he gets to go to Adventure Club (like after school). Em still goes to preschool twice a week and will be going home with a friend after school on those days. Scott's day off is Monday, and he can work from home the other days or just get a babysitter when needed.

I'm contracted until June 4... so just five months... I mean, you can't count Dec- that's only three weeks. And 3 of those days are half days. One of those days is a Grading Day... where I just go to grade papers. Isn't that something? After I've assigned a big grade, like a paper or essay or test, I can request a Grading Day where I get a sub and can either stay home or go to school to grade papers.

The staff is nice and helpful... but they're no 7th grade at RSMS. Miss you guys!

Beach Babes

I took off last week down to Pismo Beach with a couple friends for a ladies get-away. About five hours and one In-and-Out Burger stop later, we rounded a canyon hill and Jillian said, "There it is!"

It was so nice to see the ocean; somehow large bodies of water make me feel alive and let me forget anything that is bogging me down. LeeAnn Womack sang to me when she said "I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean" because all I can think of when I see it is how big my God is and how secure I am in Him.

And, I somehow found a little peace in knowing that in one way or another, that water wraps around the earth and touches Georgia's coast on the other side!

Wishy-Washy

Emmie Ann ran into the kitchen, "Will hit me!" She turned around and ran back out. Not by my super-mom hearing, but because they were just in the living room, I heard Will's attack, "Don't tattle on me! I'm gonna get in trouble and it's YOUR fault!" He met my eyes as he stormed into the kitchen, "Emmie Ann tattled on me!" She cried, upset from the hit and now his verbal attack; he cried, mad he was caught and knowing he was guilty...
I took a deep breath and began to sort the "he said- she said" out of the problem and get back to what caused it all... Will hit Em because she had something he wanted. That was the problem to deal with, so that's where we started.

Life is like that, I later thought as I threw a load of dirty clothes into the washing machine. How much of my time do I waste trying to sort the facts, the opinions, the details out of it before I remember what it is really about. Too often I let life get ahold of my thoughts and I start trying to figure things out on my own. Like Will, I try to defend myself when I should just realize I started it. My life is about more.
Much more.
My life is about a God, a God who made himself man, who came down here to live in dirt though he was pure. This God withstood attacks verbally, allowed sin to spit on him, and then bled to death on a cross for me. Dirty, sinful, doubtful, anxious, worrying, opinionated, defensive me.

And, as I stood in my "laundry closet" (because if you've been to my house lately, you know it is unfair to call it a "room"), I watched those dirty clothes go around and around. And, I prayed. I prayed God could help wash the dirt from my life so that I could come out clean. This I may have to pray ten times a day, but I pray God allows me to see Him through the dirt. I don't want to live a wishy-washy life; I want to live a life firm in Him.

Love-Hate Relationship

What I LOVE about California:
- my new friends here
- my church
- Scott's one job... not multiple ones
- Will's school and teacher
- my excuse to get a mini-van
- the geography- lots to see and experience
- living within two hours of so many neat things
- my fresh start
- having a sidewalk in front of my house
- good neighbors
- smaller house- easier to clean!

What I HATE about California:
- the government

(oh, and of course, all the missing of my friends and family back home)

Before we even moved to CA, I took the time to start the process to get CA teaching credentials. There is no reciprocity between CA and GA, or other states for that matter, when it comes to teaching credentials. So, I filled out the paperwork, collected all the thousand of documents (transcripts, certificates, Praxis test scores... and it goes on). In June I signed up, paid for, and then took the CBEST test. By late July I had gotten those test scores back (Passed) and could send in my paperwork to the California Commission on Teacher Credentials. They received, documented that they received the paperwork, and listed my file on-line with an Aug 19 entry date.

Today is October 21. The Commission is only now evaluating paperwork submitted by July 28... I'm at least still a month away from finding out what else I have to do to be certified here.
In the meantime, I've decided to start substituting and just applying for positions for the heck of it. I actually had an interview Friday with a school near us. It was for a teacher aide, 3 hours a day, 5 days per week. I wouldn't make enough to cover childcare for Em! So, I declined. Then, the principal called my yesterday to see if I'd be willing to work in another way there. I told him I was filling out Sub paperwork already. He said he'd have me at least 2 subbing jobs per week, more if I want them, and possibly long-term subbing at well. Yeah! I loved the interview team from the school, so things were looking up.

Until I had to go to the county office of education today and APPLY for a 30 Substitute Permit. I said, out loud, "Seriously?"
"It's just how it is," the office of ed lady told me.
I then teared up and told her how I just want to go home.

I'm used to the county being the school district. Not so much that way here. There is a county office of ed, not sure why, because there are 18 school districts working independently within our county! If I have a 9th grader and an 8th grader, in two districts because K-8 is in one and 9-12 is in another, then I'd have 2 different district calendars, holiday dates, etc. And if I want to work in multiple districts, I have to apply to each individually...

Okay. So I paid $50 for the CBEST, $55 for the application fee for credentials, $70 to have a LiveScan (digital fingerprinted) done for the credential application, $76 to the county office of Ed to apply for a substituting (and an additional LiveScan), AND $57 to the state again for a Sub Permit. And, once I decide to get hired by a district as a full-time teacher, I'll have to do ANOTHER LiveScan for that district... $60.

Do I really want to teach? I think I'd make a heck of a secretary...

Out Smarted

I've been babysitting for the past month with a 17 month-old and a two-and-a-half year-old; plus Emmie Ann and Will. When Will's at school in the mornings, the little girls, all three of them, love to go into Em's room, turn on the radio, and spin and dance, jump and hop, or just bounce around the room.

I was putting away dishes in the kitchen when Em ran into see talk to me this morning. She said that the radio wouldn't come on, which was her way of asking me to come fix it. So, I went into the bedroom. I plugged it in, put in a CD, and was then told to leave them alone.

As I walked out, I said, "I don't want to see ya'll jumping on the bed."
"Then leave so I can close the door," Em replied very matter of factly.

I was out smarted by a three-year-old. Yet, the door is still open...

This just in...

Not much going on here. We're enjoying the transition into fall. Cooler weather is nice!
Soccer is half way there for Will. I can't believe how much he's improving. And, it's not so much improving as it is beginning to understand what to do out on the field. He loves games.
Emmie Ann has settled well into school. She really looks forward to going Tues and Thurs mornings.

We've purchased our Halloween costumes.. one Little Mermaid and one Policeman. My days of theme-planned costumes looks like it's over. They are both way too opinionated about what they will wear. We're planning on getting together with our good friends, for a total of 300 (or so it can feel like) kids to do some party games and a little trick-or-treating.

Our biggest source of excitement, though, are the upcoming visits by Nana and Papa, and later in Nov, Mimi. Em spoke to Nana last night and said, "Our playroom is a mess."
Nana, speaking like herself, said "You better get that cleaned before I get there."
A few minutes later, as I was taking my turn to talk to Nana on the phone, Em ran into the living room, as if in a hurry, and yelled at Will, "You better come in here and help me clean the playroom right now before Nana gets here."
To which my mom replied, "Oh, bless her heart!"
Em thought it was like when we were back in GA and Nana could stop by anytime.

We are also all anticipating the holiday season. Every want is now "well, maybe you can ask Santa for it." Just yesterday, Scott was sitting at the table with Will as Will drew cars on paper. He asked Scott to spell Ford. Will is all into writing, how to spell things, etc. Scott spelled it and as Will wrote it down, Scott asked, "Are you writing Ford like my Ford?" Totally without skipping a beat, Will responded, "No, like the red Ford Mustang Convertible Powerwheels that Santa's gonna buy me from Wal-mart." Santa better get a second job.

Well, as for me, I've finally succumbed to the fact that I live in California. I've taken the step to officially become a California resident. No, it's not the fact that I left my job and moved everything I own 3,ooo miles away, enrolled my children in school here, or even the fact that I took the CA drivers test and have a licence from California. It has nothing to do with the fact that I haven't seen Georgia, my friends, and my family in almost five months. Actually, it's something much bigger... I have found a hair dresser and made an appointment. I officially feel as if I am laying down some roots here. I now live in California. I've moved.

I Lift My Eyes Toward the Hills

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over you coming and going both now and forevermore.

_____________________

In the past couple weeks I've watched a lot change around me. Right outside the weather is different- getting cooler, leaves falling, darker earlier, and at least ten minutes of rain Friday (the first rain we've seen in four months...that's another blog).

But I've also stood here while lives around me changed. In just a couple weeks, one friend's job status is changing- in turn, changing the family's future. Another friend lost a parent- and a family dynamic is altered. A third friend's diagnosis from a doctor has changed her health and made her fragile. A normal up-beat, optimist is now wondering if the glass was really half full.

If you know me, you know change is not something I can neccessarily deal with easily. Come on, I never moved until I left for college. Scott will tell you that big changes are easier for me to digest, but it's all the little changes that go along with it that crush me. I may not fall apart over the big ones because that is easier for me to say "it's God's plan." But, it's the small, day to day changes in my routine that throw me off.

About a year ago I vowed to go wherever God sent us. I laugh now. 3,000 miles away is a big change. Just over a year ago I was in the Beth Moore Bible study The Psalms of Asscent. Psalm 121 was one key Psalm we memorized from that study. Ancient Jews would travel to Jerusualm three times a year, and as they traveled and asscended into Jerusalm, they sang these very words.

God has a way of bringing things back up in our lives when we need them. And, when we see them again, we can't figure out for the life of us why we didn't think of that ourselves! That happened to me Sunday, sitting in church. Leonard actually spoke on this Psalm, and I sat there, wondering "why on earth did I not think to go back to this? I know this verse!"

In the past couple of weeks, as seasons of lives changed around me, I felt helpless. I couldn't assure my friend with plans, comfort a friend who was hurting, or heal any disease. But, I could find reassurance in the only place possible. My Lord. And, just when I needed to be reminded, he piped up and spoke.

I know that my help comes from the Lord and He is watching over my life. I know He does this for everyone of us. It's just like us humans to forget from time to time.

Would it be wierd if...

... I set aside some of the cooked ground turkey, that I was making for spaghetti, so that I could just eat a little bowl by myself with a little salt and pepper? Maybe it's not weird, but I always feel funny when I do that. (but I know Mandy's done it before, so that makes me feel better...)

... my kids entertained themselves for an hour this afternoon by collecting rocks from a pile of rocks, putting them in a bucket, and then relocating the rocks to another part of the yard? Would it be weirder if I stood inside and watched through the sliding glass door as they did this? (but I'm okay with it.. I mean, at least they were not watching anymore tv and were working together...)

... one of our "activities" today included mopping (not watercoloring, the sandbox, or bike riding- typical "stay-at-home" mom things). Literally, Will, Em and I took turns mopping the floor. (You should know the stupid floor is white tile. It HAS to be cleaned at least 3 times a day. Period.)

... my son ASKED me to go to work so that he could go to daycare and have lots of other kids to play with?

... my daughter thinks, no, believes that she is living in a Disney musical? She sings requests for chocolate milk and even argues with her brother in full song. She dances quite well for a kids who's never entered a studio, too, I might add.

... I spent half the day thinking about how I wanted to rearrange the garage? Really, wouldn't it make more sense to park the bikes along the left side and use the center to park a car?

... all I could think about, when I'm not thinking about the garage, is what kind of new Flair I can put on my Facebook page? (That is the craziest fun I've had lately!)

... I had to wash both one set of sheets and the cushion covers from the couch and clean the mattress and cusions because of pee - all from one day? (Thank the Lord for pretreated, Scotchgarded cushions! Liquid basically rolls off!!)

... if I sat down to think about all the wierd things that happened to me lately and then blog about it?

Facebook Me

I finally gave in this morning, in a weak moment, and became, what seems to be, the last under-80-American to join Facebook. One of my first "friends" was our pastor's MOTHER...
Mostly on-line I email, shop, blog, shop...
I've put off becoming a part of this for years. First, it was because I was teaching and didn't want to become "one of those teachers" caught up on-line in some controversy with their students. Second, I knew I'd be addicted and didn't want to commit all that time to figuring it out (when I don't have time to keep the laundry caught up... I mean, I have two kids and have refused to scrapbook too because I know I haven't had the time to do it and do it well. Their "scrapbooks" are actually "scrapboxes".) And, thirdly, everyone else was doing it, and I wasn't sure I wanted all these people from my past to find me... I mean, if you really need to contact me, you'd have my email or cell number already.
But, Scott's day off is Monday, so this morning, in casual conversation, he asked me what my myspace page was (years ago he made one for me just because I had said I didn't want one) and I couldn't remember if it was myspace or facebook, so to end the debate I we went to "look it up," and I ended up creating a facebook account, thus wasting hours of my day in the end.
Because, of course, the stupid thing starts connecting you to people before you've even had the chance to decorate your page, it sucks you in. It's like having a party and letting your guests in before you've finished putting up the streamers. And, come to find out, people LIVE on this site! So, while I'm running around the site trying to figure it out, people keep "popping in" and joining my undecorated party...um, page.
Then, I had to have a profile picture (and how do you choose just one picture to exemplify who you are to those people you haven't seen in years...as if I wasn't stressed already). Next, because everyone else does it, I had to create some kind of picture album. Uploading pictures and creating captions isn't easy work for someone who has recently spent her days making play-doh people and pumping up bike tires. And, well, the kicker for me-the most time wasted- was on my flair. If you don't have flair, in my opinion, you shouldn't "facebook" because THAT is the funnest thing about it.
Now, the excitement comes in with my phone... because in attempt to keep in touch when we moved West Coast (and because I thought it was cool) I got a Blackberry that "bings" whenever I get an email. And, if you facebook, you know that whenever someone invites you to be a friend or accepts to be your friend, you get emailed. Can I remind you I was the last person to join facebook, so people were "binging" me left and right- evidently I was a hot commonditiy today. Finally, Scott had to turn that feature off so my phone would stop "binging".

I'll give facebook one thing: I didn't feel this popular in high school! I'm now addicted. If you don't see me out in the future, look on-line. I'm either looking or cheap airline tickets or facebooking. And, I hate to admit it, I'm on a quest to have the most friends in the world.

If you haven't already, check out my flair!

I've officially become my mom

As I knelled on the living room carpet with a coffee cup full of Oxyclean and hot water in my left hand and an old wash cloth in the right, it hit me.
I'd already had coffee and washed that cup out. Three little girls were running around me with baby dolls, the washing machine was going full force as it cleaned the pee out of the towels, bathroom mats, and panties from an earlier unfortunate accident accident, and I'd already swept, mopped, and done a load of dishes... all this and it wasn't even ten in the morning. Will had been dropped off at school, driven by me in the bike trailer, I'd come home, showered, blown out my hair, and fed five people a small breakfast. The back patio has been swept, too. Then, "brown baby" had to be hand washed since the unfortunate pee-all-over-the-bathroom incident had rendered him, well, wet. Next, snack time. And, now that I've fed two girls Fiber One and Zone bars, grapes, and juice and one little one her organic yogurt and a jar of baby food, it was time to clean up a mess, spilled water all over the kitchen floor, before giving the baby her milk, packing three little girls in the car, buckling them up, and going to pick Will up from school. When we get back: lunch time...
Mom, you're my hero.

And then there were four...

I've started a temporary babysitting job for a friend. Her mother-in-law usually watches her daughter (2 and a half) and niece (1 and a half) while their mothers work, but she has had to go out of town for six weeks... so here I am. Four kids aren't too bad (when I get to send 2 home at the end of the day!). And the girls are precious- both are mild mannered, sweet, and in a good routine that fits well with our schedule. It's a bit of work to load everyone up to drop Will off at school and Em (only Tues and Thurs), but everyone is cooperating well. And God bless the mini-van- what a blessing! (Another thing you never thought you'd say when you were in college and pre-children stages of life.) Em's adjusting to sharing EVERYTHING of hers with the little girls, but she likes having other kids around. As for Will, this has sealed the deal for him, and he really wants a baby brother.
Did I mention the girls both speak Spanish and a bit of Korean (in addition to English)? They are being patient with me, and I'm learning all kinds of nouns in other languages. (By the way- "po po" -like what we call the police in the South- and "poo poo"- like what we all call poop- seem easily confused. Especially when "po po" is Korean for kiss...)

Watch out Scotty- Will, Em, and I may be talking you into another baby before you know it!

I never meant to go this long between posts, but....
Okay, so school is finally in for both the kids. Will started KINDERGARTEN last week and Emmie Ann went to her first day at preschool today. That's two mornings a week where I won't have any kids with me! So, I scheduled an interview for a job tomorrow morning. I miss work- that's one thing you never think you'll say- and I don't intend to confuse anyone- I don't want to work full time, but I do like it. I mean, this afternoon I helped Scott make a sock puppet... This is an Education Specialist position where I'd only work a couple days of the week (like Scott's day off so we wouldn't have to get childcare) but still get used to the CA ed system, curriculum, etc. Not sure if this is just a "scanning" interview or what, but I'm looking forward to finding out something about the job and what possibilites are out there!
Will is totally loving school; his teacher's name: Mrs. Learn. I ask him when I pick him up (did I tell you that you have to pay to ride the bus in CA and that you can only ride if you live farther than a mile from school, which like no one does...) how his "day" (half day K in CA...) was. "Good." I ask, "What did you do?" His reply, "Everything." Well, at least he doesn't say "nothing." He tells me who got their pin moved down to yellow or red. Of course, he says, his has stayed on green all day. His favorite part of school is the playground, and he does not want us to walk him inside in the morning. He just wants to be dropped off.
Emmie Ann even told me that I "could leave now" when I took her to school today. She's been ready to go since Will started. She'll wake up and ask "is today the day I get to go to school?"

We've kept busy lately- the CA State Fair and Demolition Derby, Gold Rush in Old Sac, birthday parities, soccer practice, church events, back to school shopping, bike riding...
Now, Demolition Derby... to think we moved 3,000 miles to watch something so redneck... At the State Fair, there is a Demo Derby- and it is packed in the stands. We went with two other families from church- 8 kids total; 5 boys (8 if you count the dads who were just as into it) and 3 girls. Four of the boys are between the ages of 4 and 6. There is something excilerating (especially to the boys) about watching a bunch of already banged up cars drive around a ring, rev their engines, ram into each other, and sling mud into the stands (thank goodness we got there early to claim seats at the top of the stands and avoid the extra dirt).

Just call it Camp Dirt

In an effort to "get away" for a little vacation, we went camping for a couple nights. Back home, when people go on vacation, they load up the car, drive six, maybe eight or so hours, and end up at a condo on the beach. All you deal with is sand and who gets the first shower. Not our case this year.

Scott and I have done camping before. I don't mind "dirty"- and if you really know me, you know how I feel about washing my hair everyday...not required. We've both even backpacked, where you stay out on a trail for several nights with only the stuff on your back. But, since Will and Em came along, we never bothered to go camping; plus, we didn't know too many people who wanted to go camping when we could get a condo at the beach...



I tested my limits this week and discovered a few things:

1- "Talking when I'm talking" is not my biggest pet peeve. Dirt sandwiched under little fingernails are. And, when there are NO campfires allowed, no rain in forever, and your boogers turn black from the dirt and dust in the air, clean-non-sooty hands are impossible.

2- I am more like Kate from "John and Kate plus Eight" than I'd like to admit. I mean, when I'm yelling "Scott" from the river just so he can bring me a nail-brush or Will's clean socks (it was a lot like that episode when she yells at him at the Crayola Factory)... No matter how many times I'd tell myself that "it's just for a couple days... we're camping... kids are supposed to be dirty..." it didn't work.

3- The scenery from East to West is different- right down to the dirt on the ground. But, kids like to dig in it just as much. No matter how you threaten them, when you turn around, there they are- swirling it, throwing it, wipping it all over themselves.

4- The view is worth the journey. Dealing with the hard ground (we left our pump for the air mattress at home and my hip digs into the ground...), dirty hands and faces and clothes, and freezing 40 degrees at night... those were a few things that kept me thinking "Why would we do this?" But these pictures explain why we go camping agian.

Biding Our Time

Summer is still in full force. Will doesn't return until August 26...
Last week the kids and I were fortunate enough to spend some full-time quality time together. Scott accompanied our BCR youth group on a mission trip to LA. That meant we rallied at home- there were three other mom's whose husbands were on the trip- and sought out events to keep us distracted!

We started our week off pretty mild. We visited at each other's homes, made "play dough cookies," and baked homemade pizza. By Tuesday, we stepped it up a notch when we ran around Fairytale Town, and later we got our money's worth with IKEA's free babysit-while-you-shop and 99 cent kid meals! 9 hours, 8 tired kids, 3 large area rugs, and 1 heck-of-a-deal storage shelf later, we were home... that was a day to remember!

Later that week, mom got to come out!! It's so fun to show people around, so when we say do come visit- we mean it! We drove into The City (aka San Fran) to pick her up. I was dying to get to the beach, so we drove south into Santa Cruz for the afternoon. I can say my kids are well traveled- they've seen the Atlantic AND the Pacific (not to mention the Gulf of Mexico a time or two as well!). The ocean was so cold- but that didn't stop Will from chasing the waves. Em makes quite a good sunbather, I must say! (These pics are from Santa Cruz.)
Now, I didn't realize how much I missed home until I got a few days with my Mama! We were sad Papa couldn't come, but we took pictures for him. We went to the farmer's market, the kids' last swim lesson, and the outlets. Scott got home Saturday from the mission trip, so Mom also got to see him "work" at church on Sunday and she met so many of our friends. Then, we took off for Tahoe on Monday....

Tahoe is under two hours from our house. I really knew very little about it, except it was a big, cold lake where people go to snow ski in the winter. We had to see it for ourselves, and I am so glad we did. I can honestly say that was the most beautiful scenery packed into one day's drive that I've seen in a long time. God has an incredible imagination- the way the mountains run together, the peaks and falls; I've never felt so small! And then, when you finally break around that one bend on the mountian and can see through the evergreens, peaking beyond- WOW! The water's Caribbean-clearness, despite how cold it is, makes you want to stay!

I hated packing up, but we're planning on going camping next week with some friends, so knowing we were coming back made it easier to drive on that day.

Roll of Thunder

I miss certain things about the South. Hearing "y'all" in casual conversation, how much land one house sits on, and- especially- those afternoon, summer thunder storms. I may have only been here in California for a total of four weeks, but since Scott moved here in March, there have only been two days of rain. Neither since my arrival.
Mom was on the phone one afternoon (in GA- it was still the morning here) with me and "had to get inside, a storm was coming." That's when I missed it the most. I could picture it... darkening sky, low clouds, thick humidity cut by a cool breeze. The cows know it's coming. You see them gather around a tree. The bugs cease to swarm as heavily, and that rolling thunder flows above you, shaking the ground below.
When I miss something about home, I close my eyes and try to think of what I have to do here for the day... I put myself in this moment instead of reminiscing about another. "Sort the laundry, sign the kids up for swim lessons.." these were among my thoughts.
Then, I prayed, asking God for some comfort, "Please let me know this is the right place for us. I mean, there's been NO RAIN and our sprinklers still shoot up every night! How is it? I know you have a purpose for us here, so help me understand."

I took out my Bible and was led to this passage-

Job 36:26- 37:5:
How great is our God- beyond our understanding!
The number of his years is past finding out.
He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?
See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.
This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place.
Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth.
After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back.
God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding."

I mean, God just straight out told me, I don't need anything, not even a thunderstorm, when I have him. How could I not agree? I'll still struggle and fight my natural desires to control and understand everything, it's part of how I'm built. But this verse was an answer for me, mostly because I have to believe that God knows where I've been and where he's taking me. He knows where my comfort zone is- and he truely knows how to nudge me out of it. I believe "he holds nothing back" and is, right now in our lives, doing "great things beyond our understanding."

Why God moved us 3,000 miles

This is just an excerpt from an email I wrote to a friend back home about life here, job searching, Scott and me... it's a good explaination of who I am and where I am now...

The wild fires are causing lots of smoke in the valley, where we are, and it's pretty nasty outside. Not to mention hot! And, it's a different kind of heat from GA- dry. We get the Delta Breezes, but with all the smoke and fires going on, they're doing more of stirring up than cooling down...
Thanks for putting out feelers for me. We're in Roseville, and there is one FSU about ten minutes from us- we're in Placer County, which reminds me of Fayette in a few ways. Schools are great, people are nice, and there is a mix of city space and country. I need to work some, not sure to what extent, but when I was back in GA I met with my friends from work. We were talking about what we were doing and wanted to do when one mentioned doing something like marketing with Chick-fil-A. I've worked with them for the past several years in ordering for our events, fundraising, etc. Asking around out here, I'm not as sure how "connected" the stores are to the schools and churches like at home- but I've only been here a few weeks! I would love to work for a company that, as cheesy as it sounds, is part of my Southern identity and a business that I LOVE. It's been such a part of me, we naturally make our friends who haven't eaten there drive over with us to eat there! I'm praying for God to show me where he wants me to be. We'd been here about a week, feeling far away from home, and took the kids to the Roseville store for lunch. When Will got out of the car, he said, "Oh... I'm so happy! Chick-a-fil-a!" It was the only time I felt at home those first two weeks here! I feel like I'm creative, personable, and know enough about the company, plus, I've experienced being in a community where Chick-fil-A is really apart of us.
I've applied for teaching positions with a charter school where I wouldn't work a regular day, either teach on-line classes or be a contact teacher for home-schooled students. I also applied at a gym and Starbucks for the EARLY morning shifts. That way I could be out by the time the kids are out of school, three days a week.
I love SLAH, but I am not a sales person for something I don't really think is for everyone. Either you love it or not (and you should see the new catalog coming out next month! It's double hostess month too, so you can get double the half price and double the free money for SLAH items! Did you get my email with the clearance items?...) I like talking about it, but I can't walk up to someone and convince them to buy a $60 vase when they stay at home with their kids. So, if people like it, I'll show it off, but am not built to be pushy about it. I'm waiting for someone want a party instead of me asking them to have it.
So, you can see, I'm trying to "water the fields" so that when God is ready, I'll be ready to respond. The Surrender book has helped! Everyday, I think about how far out of my comfort zone God has placed me, and pray for his direction, to plant me somewhere, to do something for Him.
Scott is loving his job- I can see how the past several, hard years of climbing, falling, and climbing up the mountain got us to this place where something beautiful is. We love this church, We love these people. And, even though It's not "home", these people are already family. It's hard to explain! Our 6 year ann was yesterday, so I've been a little reflective; I've honestly never been more proud of him or happier for him at any point in our marriage. When we said "I do," I never knew I'd love him this much. He is so amazing, talented, level-headed and yet a dreamer. I am so honored God lets me go along with what Scott is doing. In him I see this person I never realized was there and knew was there all along! He is incredible, and we are so blessed to be here, doing this (whatever God wants "this" to be) together. Although I do miss home, I don't want to miss one opportunity here, one moment. Just a fast as we got here, we could be gone! So, Carpe Diem!
I'll pass on the love here- you do so back there! We miss friends like you- that just means you've got to get out here and visit!!
Thanks for your help on this! I don't know what God has in store- and am excited to see where I go!

Seeing San Francisco

Because we flew into San Francisco and Scott had parked there when he flew out, we had a car and an entire afternoon to visit the city. The day didn't end up exactly as we had planned... By planned, I mean I spent three hours on-line the previous week with mapquest and my friend Laura's notes (she lived there for a year and wrote me a small book on what to see and do while we were there- thanks, Laura!). I knew how to get to stop 1: pic opp. with the Golden Gate- kids could run around after flying for five hours, etc. Then, stop 2: Free Wednesday museum visit. Stop 3: Fisherman's Wharf for dinner and sea lions.
We first wanted to take a picture of the kids with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Well, it was cloudy, windy, and the pic op didn't turn out exactly like I'd planned. We walked around the "beach" for five minutes before Will asked to go to the car so daddy could "turn the warm on."
Next, we were going to go to Exploratorium, a hands-on Science Museum. The first Wednesday of each month, the exact day we were there, the museums in the city are free. What a great break for us, huh? Well, us and 3,000 other people who wanted to get in... Skipped that idea, pouting as we drove by...
So, we drove on out to Fisherman's Wharf, where a tourist can be a tourist. By this time, we were all tired, hungry, and broke. We'd had to pay an arm and a leg (almost a first born...) for parking at the airport, so our budget had been infringed upon. The kids shared a sourdough pizza, and Scott and I had warm, clam chowder- YUM!! A little bit encouraged at this point, we decided to press on with out plans. You can still have fun for free, right? Well, we were going to teach our kids that money didn't buy happiness... but this area was not the one to do that in. Between all the little souvenir shops, the pier attractions like a carousel or cotton candy, and the fresh, warm doughnuts, everything Will and Em were interested in would cost us. So, we briskly walked past the money-items and pumped up the sea lions.. cute whiskery faces, flopping around, entertaining us. As you walk out the pier, following the signs that take you to look at the sea lions, you wind around shops, up and down stairs. It's a real excitement booster. We expected to see something awe inspiring with each turn. Finally, we came to the end of the pier.. and a sign. The sign explained how, around May, the sea lions migrate south to breed. On a floating dock, way out, there were six sea lions, sunning themselves. They looked like big, wet bags. They didn't even look back at us. Major disappointment!
So, four hours ahead of time (the second time we've ever been early), we went back to our car, headed out 80 West, and sat in traffic all the way home to Sacramento.
Maybe we'll try that again, one day...

My Brother's Wedding

Rehersal dinner at the Smith House is always a great way to start the weekend.
The wedding was such a beautiful event. A little rain shower threatened us Saturday afternoon, but the sun broke through and it held off until late that night as the reception was underway. Like Em dressing up dolls, Jess and Alex looked like Barbie and Ken. They were so happy and perfect. Jess's sister's photography company (www.doveweddingphotography.com) did the photographs, so I know they will be amazing.
The ceremony was outside, and we did pictures beforehand. Will looked like a mini-Scott, and Em was a mini-me. Before we left CA, Em had a virus, and it got ahold of Will that week. He had a fever all day, so getting him to pose in a hot tux in the sun was not easy. At one point, he just started walking away. We tried every bribe we could come up with, but he was not feeling well at all. He did make it down the aisle, where he sat with Papa. But, by the time he got to the reception, he went to a table, laid his head down, and fell asleep. He sat there, asleep, until Mimi and Paw-paw took him back to the hotel (or home-tel as Em calls it).
Em, on the other hand, danced all night! She was in her element and the life of the party. In her princess dress, she'd dance with anyone who came along. She got to see all her cousins (second cousins), eat cake, and run around. Finally she crashed.
Alex and Jess have some wonderful friends who proved it at the wedding; I am so proud of who my brother has become, the life he's made for himself, and the beautiful, kind woman he's married.

Good Times in Georgia

We packed a lot into two weeks during our trip back home. Because we were only in CA for two weeks before we went back, I told everyone it was our "Trial Run" at living in CA.
Back in GA, we got to spend time with Nana and Papa, Mimi and Paw-paw, Scott's sister and her family, Alex and Jess, my extended family (thanks to the wedding), and our friends.
After spending two day with Mom, dragging the kids through every mall and department store in the Metro-Atlanta area, we finally found Mom a dress she liked for the wedding. And, I must say, it worked well for her. Jess and I looked all over the South Side for flowers and found some that turned out beautifully in the bridesmaids bouquets. By Friday, the kids had to get out and swim with some friends. So we met up at by bff's neighborhood pool with a good group of friends. Will got to see Bryson (and Em- she thinks he's a brother still), Em got to see Ella, and they both got to play with Ariel (their favorite babysitter and one of our closest friends). We were at the pool for six hours...I miss my friends!!
Saturday was a treat, my childhood best friend, Kate, got married. It was so beautiful and perfect for her. As always, she was gorgeous. The only thing that I didn't like was the Rocky Top song at the reception... but, she's always loved to rub in our GA-TN rivalry! Will danced all night long..with everyone, including the groom's mother-slow dancing- he had no idea who she was, but she was willing to dance with him. Em is a dancer, too. Since Scott hadn't come in yet, the three of us danced in a circle all night! I was so looking forward to Will dancing at Alex's wedding the next Saturday.
Sunday morning Will, Em, Mom, and I drove up to TN to visit with Aunt Brenda and Nanny (my grandmother) for a night. The kids love going to Brenda's because they never know what they will get into and they love her dog, Princess. Plus, Nanny makes a good listener, and, you know, my kids love to talk...
Scott's sister, Debbie, and her family came into town that second week. They live in New Hampshire, so our visits aren't as often as we'd all like, but the kids always love seeing their cousins. Debbie and Brian have three kids: Cailyn, Evan, and Ally. What's crazy is they told us it's cheaper for them to fly to CA to visit us than to Atlanta! So, we're holding them to that...
Other things we did while in GA (in no particular order)...
- the kids rode around the yard on the tractor
- we helped Dad dam up the creek so he could build a water pool for his irrigation system (it was more like sloshing around, throwing stones on our part...)
- practiced tossing petals as a flower girl (there are no blooms left on one of Mom's hydrangeas..)
- cleaned, painted, and fixed up our house for our new leasers
- ate fried chicken and casseroles- squash, broccoli and cheese, macaroni... all our favorites!
- Got acquainted with Barbie- Em's new favorite pastime. Mom pulled out some huge box of my old Barbie's and their things. We didn't hear from Em one day from 9 AM until about 4 PM, with one small lunch break in between.

Home Again, Home Again!!

Monday, June 16
6 AM (CA)- wake up, inhale....get dressed, make 2 chocolate milks, pack car, dress kids, load kids in car, try not to throw up...
7 AM- depart Roseville for San Francisco International Airport, pay almost $5 a gallon for gas, fight a wave of nausea..
7:45 AM- see hot air balloons over Napa, make Scott pull over so I can throw up...
8:45 AM- arrive at airport, check 2 bags, take off 6 shoes, send 5 carry-ons and one folded stroller through security, re-shoe 3 people, look for one lost croc, reload stroller, bribe Em to ride in stroller...
9:15 AM- begin to wait on flight, entertain 2 kids
11:30 (departure time)- continue to wait on flight, bargain with 2 kids
Noon (CA)- finally load plane, buckle in kids, bribe to not kick seats in front of them
Noon to 4:30 (CA)- buckle- unbuckle, buckle- unbuckle, bathroom, play with in-seat TV monitors, pick up cars off floor, dress barbie, pick up cars off floor, undress barbie... redress barbie, color, scrape Play-Doh off seat, unbuckle- buckle, change barbie's clothes...
7:30 PM (GA)- land in Atlanta! Fight with overloaded stroller and 2 kids all the way to baggage claim, meet Nana, exhale.

Truthfully, besides me feeling sick, it was an easy-peasy day. The kids were wonderful on the plane. Will even slept for 45 minutes (after he had informed everyone in a five seat radius of every detail about our family... "This is my mom. She is 28. We live at 1711 Russell Way... We're going to GA. My dad's a worship pastor. Do you want to see my cars? My mom bought them for me...."

Settled for now...

So we've lived in CA for 2 weeks now with minimal homesickness (mostly by me, not the kids or Scotty). Since we lost 1,000 square feet and a basement in the move, it really didn't take long to unpack. I saved the closets for last and finished those yesterday. I'm using the closet in my bedroom; Scott gets to hang his shirts in the "playroom" closet. Will and Em are sharing a bedroom and like the bunkbeds. We now have a couch, since our GA couch now lives in Sharpsburg with Alex and Jess, and we have a futon- so come visit!
We're so close to everything! We really haven't had to leave Roseville yet. Since Scott and I are sharing a car, the kids and I walk to the park. Scott's office is only 3 miles away, so sometimes we drop him off and other times "he rides his bike" (1 time I took it to him at work and he rode it home; another time he rode it to work and we picked him up...)
We love our church (www.baysidecentral.com) and all the people there! I would alreday be back in Georgia if the people at BCR were not so wonderful! There are lots of families with kids Will and Em's ages, and everyone has been so great about inviting us to do things, offering to help, getting us information on the area, etc. We had balloons, groceries, and gifts when we got here and meals for three days! Not to mention, the Worship Pastor is pretty hot, too ;)
Will likes CA because "snails are his favorite bug." After the sprinklers come on in our backyard in the evenings, he collects the snails in his bug box (a gift from the wonderful Jane!). Maybe a little creepy if they ever decided to take over, but he collected like 82 snails one night!!! Em, of course, goes around doing whatever he is up to, screaming the whole way.